Dec. 15, 2010
RICHMOND, Va. -- Nine Monarchs and Lady Monarchs and a pair of relay teams currently hold the fastest swimming times in the mid-season swimming & diving report released by the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) office this week.
Men's swimmer junior Arni Arnason (Mosfellsbaer, Iceland) leads the way holding the conference's fastest times in the 100 free (44.70), 100 breast (53.92), 200 breast (1:57.87), and 200 IM (1:49.53). On the national scene, Arnason's 100 breast time of 53.92 is the 10th fastest time among all Division I swimmers, while his 200 breast time of 1:57.87 is 15th fastest in the nation. Additionally, Arnason's 200 IM time of 1:49.53 at the Nike Cup held in November set an ODU record. The 2008 Bejing Olympian, who swam for his native Iceland, also holds the second fastest time in the CAA in 50 free (20.46).
A pair of newcomers, Sidni Hoxha (Tirane, Albania) and Daniel Camozzo (Herndon, Va.), have also swam their way to the top times in the league. Camozzo logged a conference top time of 4:33.80 in the 500 free and also appears in the top 10 times in the 200 fly (1:52.99) at third overall and 200 free (1:43.21) at sixth overall. Hoxha meanwhile has captured the CAA's top finish in the 500 (20.34) and is also among the conference's best in 100 free (45.97) at third overall, 200 free (1:43.46) at seventh overall, and 100 fly (51.54) at 10th overall.
Senior Mikael Ramkvist (Bjarred, Sweden), a tri-captain and a CAA Men's Swimmer of the Week, holds the conference's fastest time to date in the 200 back with a time of 1:52.26. Ramkvist also holds the third fastest time in the 100 back (51.60).
Sophomore Jason Brame (Lynchburg, Va.) is also the top CAA swimmer in the 400 IM and the only one in the conference to hit the wall under the four-minute mark thus far this season with his time of 3:59.27. He is also among the top distance free swimmers in the CAA. Brame captured the second fastest time in the 1650 free (15:52.38) and the third fastest time in the 500 free (4:35.55). Additionally, he also places his name fifth among times in the 200 fly (1:53.74).
In the relays, the 400 free team of Arnason, freshman Andrew Crockett (Toano, Va.), junior tri-captain Ryan Peart (Fort Washington, Pa.), and Hoxha and the 800 free team of Hoxha, Camozzo, senior Kristofer Hagg (Skovde, Sweden), and freshman Dogus Akay (Izmir, Turkey) each hold the top times in the CAA.
Arnason, Crocket, Peart, and Hoxha have also clocked in the second best time of all the CAA schools in the 200 free relay. Their best time this season of 1:23.15 is a mere .02 seconds off the number one time set thus far by the squad from UNC-Wilmington.
Sophomore Jessica Hubert (Newport News, Va.) leads the women's side with the CAA's fastest time to date in the 100 fly and 200 fly. Hubert's time of 2:00.37 in the 200 fly set a new ODU top time, while her 100 fly time of 56.27 is the second fastest in the record books.
Junior Erla Haraldsdottir (Njardvik, Iceland) has claimed the top time thus far during the 2010-11 season in the 200 IM (2:02.21) in the league. The 2008 Icelandic Olympian also captured the second fastest times and ODU records in the 100 breast (1:01.15) and 200 breast (2:13.32).
In the backstroke, the Lady Monarchs lead the conference competition. The 100 back top time is recorded by two-time CAA champion April Barrientos (Va. Beach, Va.) with a time of 55.63, while the 200 back fastest time among CAA competitors is held by sophomore Kimberley Rashleigh (Sydney, Australia), whose time of 1:59.73 gives her the distinction of the only member of the CAA to clock in under two-minutes in the event.
Barrientos, one of this year's co-captains, also holds the second fastest time behind teammate Rashleigh in the 200 back (2:02.30).
Rashleigh's name meanwhile appears three more times among the league's top times with the third fastest finishes in the 200 IM (2:04.35), 400 IM (4:23.63), and 100 back (56.70).
Several other Monarchs and Lady Monarchs are among the top 10 finishes around the league this season.
Senior Josh Kinas (Reston, Va.) has posted the third fastest times in the 100 breast (57.16), 200 breast (2:05.81), and 200 IM (1:54.82). In the distance events, freshman Dogus Akay (Izmir, Turkey) finds his name third overall in the 1650 free (16:13.58) and eighth in the 500 free (4:41.44). Fellow freshman Jason Haigh (Williamsburg, Va.) has his name listed at seventh in the 100 breast (58.01) and sixth in the 200 breast (2:07.71). Senior Kristofer Hagg (Skovde, Sweden) claims the fifth fastest time in the 200 free (1:42.90), while freshman Andrew Crockett (Toano, Va.) comes in with the ninth fastest time in the 100 back (52.56).
On the women's side, sophomore Danielle Naylor (Swinton, England) saw her name among the conference's top times in a pair of distance events and the 200 fly. Naylor swam to the third fastest time in the CAA in the 1650 free (16:50.39) and fifth overall in the 500 free (4:56.23). She is also eighth in the 200 fly (2:05.37). Freshman Abby Vance (Raleigh, N.C.) was sixth overall in the 500 free (4:56.63) and 10th among conference competitors in the 200 free (1:53.13). Senior co-captain Lauren Fiskus (Yorktown, Va.) swam to a pair of top 10 CAA times thus far in the breaststroke. Fiskus is featured at fifth overall in the 200 breast (2:20.73) and ninth in the 100 breast (1:06.45). Additionally junior Emma Forbes (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) makes an appearance with the eighth fastest top time in the 100 free (52.28) and freshman Laura Cempel (Mokena, Ill.) in ninth in the 1650 free (17:20.17).
In diving, senior tri-captain David Skorupa (Richmond, Va.) was featured among the top 10 scores in both the 1 meter and 3 meter boards. Skorupa's score of 296.40 on the 1 meter is the fourth highest score in the conference, while his score of 238.60 on the 3 meter is 10th overall. Sophomore Dale Tornell's (Springfield, Va.) score of 246.15 on the 3 meter puts his name ninth among conference divers. Both Skorupa and Tornell's scores came from the Monarchs' pod meet at James Madison where ODU took on William & Mary and the College of Charleston.
Next up for the Monarchs and Lady Monarchs is the annual training trip taking place this year down in Fort Myers, Florida at the end of December.